Military Wives
by Orria
Summary: I'd always admired the wives and husbands of military personnel and how they stand strong and brave when loved ones go to fight what sometimes feels like a losing battle. Little did I know, I too, would be in their position one day.
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N_**: Before I start, I'd like to say a million and more thank yous to my fantastic beta,** _JaspersDestiny_, **for putting up with me and improving this story to a readable standard :)

**_Special thanks also to_: _amaris12345_** for pre-reading a couple of chapters for an original version of a Jasper/Bella fic before being unable to continue pre-reading due to real life :) I would also like to thanks** _Sparkly Red Pen_ **for creating their beta section on their site!

Words can't describe how thankful I am for all of your help.  
>Without you all, this story wouldn't be here today.<p>

I will also be starting with a little bit of history before diving right into the deep end of Jasper and Bella's relationship :) xoxoxox

**_Disclaimer_: Not mine, never will be. (Repeat for future chapters).  
><strong>_Thanks to_ Lillie Cullen for letting me use her Disclaimer! Such a good idea :) Saves having to write it out every chapter :D

**Bella POV  
>~*~<strong>

As the plane took off for Texas, I leaned back and gazed out of my window, thinking back to when I first met Jasper. It is true what they say: _You __never __know __what __tomorrow __may __bring._ It was bittersweet how we met, but I couldn't regret my decision to go.

To this day, I still don't understand why I went to my ex's wedding to that woman if you can call her a woman at all. Do I regret it? No, because if I hadn't gone, I wouldn't have met my Jasper.

I went to Jessica and Edward's wedding for closure. I hadn't been back to Forks, Washington since the day after my father's funeral., Ironically that was the day I found Edward and Jessica in my kitchen after the funeral service at the gathering. That was the straw thatwhich broke the camel's back, and I went to Florida with my mom and her husband, Phil, a day later.

I hadn't been back to that claustrophobic town for four years now., I was twenty-one then,twenty one at the time and I had been with Edward since I was eighteen.

Charlie died doing the job he loved. He was police chief, and a few short weeks after my 21st birthday, bikers had passed through the town causing a pointless riot.

My brave father got caught trying to break it up, and he ended up paying the ultimate price when one of the men pulled a gun and shot my father dead. That year was a devastating year, as Dad's best friend passed away in his sleep earlier that summer.

Two weeks after my father's death, after the police had done their bit, and so on we laid my father to rest. While it was the day from hell for me, I saw it as a day filled with blessing. For all I know, I could have been married to the slime-ball even to this day, with he and her doing God knows what behind my back. I'm glad I caught them in the act before it was too late.

The Cullen family wasn't as perfect and golden as folks in town viewed them to be, and I knew that better than anyone. The only people in town I kept in contact with were my best friend Emmett Cullen, who was Edward's brother, and my best friend, Angela Weber, who has always stuck by me through thick and thin Angela Weber.

Emmett and Angela were both surprised to see me at the wedding, since I'd put "undecided" on the RSVP when the spiteful jerk invited me to his wedding. He never expected me to attend, but if he was going to be a jackass, I would use the event as a way to find closure.

Edward's sister, Alice, used to be best friends. We were like the three musketeers joined at the hip, when I first moved to Forks, Washington, but Alice didn't like it when Ang and I didn't share her excitement about signing up for all the fancy colleges she wanted to go to. We and we put our feet down, personalities clashed, crashed and then everything went from bad to worse.

I guess when you grow up, sometimes you lose that connection you used to have with people you thought were your friends. You soon learn you had nothing in common with them in the first place!

Reuniting with Ang and Em was amazing. It was like we'd never been apart, after having sporadic contact with each other for the past, due to hectic work loads at different colleges in different cities. I ended up meeting Jasper immediately after Mr. and Mrs. Smug's wedding ceremony. I'm still stunned Edward had the balls to look discreetly at me as he said his marriage vows to Jessica, who kept shooting nasty glances my way.

I held my ground, though, and got through the day. Amidst the drama, I met Major Jasper Whitlock through Em, when his wife, Rosalie, brought her visiting cousin Jasper along.

It turned out that neither Jess nor Edward had been faithful to each other. A drunk Mike Newton couldn't seem to keep his mouth shut any longer, and he blew Jess's cover for everyone to hear. All kinds of stuff came spewing out after that, including the Edward's bad track record with women.

According to Em, they are still married, even after all the shit hit the fan. I shook my head in disbelief at the thought of what my life could have of been like if I had stayed in that town and hadn't caught him and her that day.

Just as I thought this, one of the flight attendants announced through the intercom that the plane will be landing in Texas in ten minutes' time. She asked everyone to either be re-seated or to put our seatbelts back on.

Excitement and butterflies erupted in my stomach as I thought howthat in ten minutes I would'll be even closer to Jasper. Soon I would be stepping off the plane and starting my new life hear in Texas with Jasper at his military base.

After a year of e-mails, long phone calls, and the odd visit when he was home on leave from Afghanistan, we both decided on our one year anniversary that we wanted to try out living together. Jasper had been the proper Southern gentleman I believed him to be when I first met him. I got to know him for the wonderful man he is and the life he plays in the army, and we took our time getting to know each other bettertalked about my life and various different things.

We made the decision to move in together the week Jasper visited mom, Phil, and me in Florida. We spent most of that time lounging on the beach, and we realized we couldn't spend any more time one week holidays were spent once in Texas and another in Florida with my Mum and Phil on the private beech where we practically lived for two weeks which was when we made the decision to move in with each other.

We celebrated Christmas separately with our respective families, and our plan was to move in after New Year's. Jasper was going to be on-base for the next several months, so it was perfect timing. After doing tours in Afghanistan which had me worried sick with worry, he was now home for a while.

I really admired the husbands and wives of our men and woman of those serving in the armed forces. They stood strong and brave as their loved ones fought what often felt like a losing battle. I was proud of Jasper and of everything he stood for, and I, too, wanted to be there for him.

It was always a relief when Jasper popped up on Skype or when I received histhe e-mails or letters if he had been away from his Military base. I knew that this year was going to be a trial run, to see how our relationship survived one-on-one.

I could only hope that our relationship would continue to grow. They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, so I knew it was going to be a challenge—a and a challenge I hoped would be worth it in the long run.

I took care in descending thethese last steps off of the plane. I could see the army jeep from the corner of my eye, but I kept my gaze firmly on my feet as I concentrated on not tripping.

But I wouldn't be Isabella Swan if I didn't trip at all, and luckily it was on the last step. Jasper caught me, and I fell into his arms, sinking into his embrace.

There was a long road aheadin front of us, but for now life was perfect as Jasper spun me around and our lips met.

And this was just the beginning.

**Updates will be posted every 3 to 5 days :)**

**Happy reading & Happy New Year,**  
><strong>Orria xoxoxoxoxoxox<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

- **I decided to update a day early to say thank you to you all for all the alerts, favourites and (5 reviews) Thank you all so much! I wasn't expecting any due to the fact it was New Years and I thought everyone would be busy with family, so thanks again, Orria xoxoxox**

It was a wonderful surprise to see Jasper as I got off of the plane. I wasn't expecting to see him until I reached the arrivals and departures felt like ages as we stood there to the side of the plane's steps, just holding each other. I felt at home in Jasper's embrace.

He was wearing his army uniform; perhaps that was how he got to be here instead of on the other side of the gate. Preferential treatment. But either way, I wasn't complaining.

Eventually we got hold of both of my huge suitcases and moved through all the red tape you have to cut through to get through arrivals, Sneaking in kisses, and soon we were on the road.

Jasper was very sweet., When he didn't have to hold the gear stick, he'd rest his hand on my thigh, where it would ride up dangerously close to my crotch, or he would hold my hand and press delicate, soft kisses to my palm. We'd share secret smiles and smouldering looks., Our conversations were short and sweet.

Jasper was like me; he didn't need to feel like he had to fill the silence with pointless chitchat, and the silence between us wasn't awkward or uncomfortable. It was but soothing and relaxing. Jasper is a very laidback person but also very protective, and the boys of La Push learned that very quickly when we went down there after the wedding to stay for a couple of days. It was nice to see my childhood friends, but with me and Jasper being pretty much inseparable, my time was spent with him those four days down at La Push, which was where our relationship began.

I was lost in my thoughts and hadn't realised Jasper had stopped the army jeep we were riding in. I looked up at Jasper, having used his shoulder as my resting spot for half the journey, snuggled into his arm.

I felt his fingers ghost across my cheek and travel behind my neck, leaving a trail of heat across my skin as he leaned forwards to rest his head against my forehead.; Looking deep into my eyes, he placed the softest kiss on my lips and whispered,: "We're home.", His deep Southern accent was in full swing. My lips turned up into a shy smile upon hearing his declaration, and I leaned forwards to press a deeper kiss to his lips, hoping he could feel everything I was feeling for him into this kiss.

Quicker than I thought possible, Jasper sneakily undid my seatbelt and had me out of the vehicle and in his arms bridal- style without breaking the kiss once, pulling me out of the jeep on his side. I heard the door slam shut and another door open, but I was too far gone and lost within Jasper to notice much else around me. I know he took me upstairs and into what I realized was his bedroom _our_ bedroom—where he lay me down on the welcoming soft sheets of a clearly large bed. He began to undress me.

Our bodies moved in tandem, our clothes flying off in different directions across the room in our rush to really be together. He teased my naked body with his callous hands, his hands may be strong and rough, but he moved them across me so smoothly and gently as I traced every inch of him I could, committing everything to memory.

It felt like an eternity when he finally lined up his hard penis to enter me and in one swift motion he was buried deep within me, his eyes never leaving mine as we made love for what felt like the first time.

We carried on well into the evening, until Jasper got called away to base to deal with something of importance that needed his immediate attention.

I clung to him, not wanting him to go, although I knew deep down that he had to. He somehow managed to keep hold of me as he dressed to leave.

"'Darlin', I'll be back as soon as I can get away., This shouldn't' take long. The Captain' knew not to call me unless it was important, so this better bloody be or else I'll be fryin' some asses tonight."'

I buried my head in his neck as he carried me down the stairs, my legs wrapped around him., I was dressed in one of his long shirts and a pair of his boxers.

He lay me down on a soft chair and kissed me, stealing my breath away, before stepping back and proclaiming a round of "I love you"s as he left the house.

I don't know how long I stayed there staring dejectedly through the curtains of the bay window, hoping he'd return to me quickly, but I soon found myself turning to the kitchen for a cup of strong coffee and settling down after figuring out how to work the plasma TV.

The hot coffee was soothing, and as I relaxed into the corner of the long L- shaped couch I realised this was something I was going to have to get used to. I came prepared for this, but now being here and living the reality of it all, I couldn't grasp how the other wives or partners coped without their men.

Having only been with Jasper six hours, he was already called away, but as I thought about it some more, I realized this time he would only be away for a short time and then back home again sooner enough.

Home: - another reality check. I'd never really had a home such as this. Sure, I had lived with my mom a large chunk of my life, but it had never felt like home. She had always been busy doing all the things I wanted to do while stayed at home and made sure the bills were paid, there was enough food in the fridge, and that the electricity bill was paid so we had a roof over our heads.

Charlie's place didn't feel like home because it was his place, but Jasper was home to me. I have a feeling this newfound homey feeling was here to stay! I only hoped my instincts were true, no matter what drama we might later face.

Turning off the TV, I downed the rest of my coffee, washed up the mug, and headed upstairs. Not realising how tired I was until my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light within minutes.

At some point through the night, I felt the bed dip and a strong arm wrap around me, pulling me as close to him as possible, and in my sleepy haze I snuggled as far into him as I could get.

That was all I remembered, until the smell of coffee woke me up mid-morning. I stretched like a cat and opened my eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun on my face from the rays that trickled into the room through the sheer curtains. I slowly rose, not bothering to get dressed but staying in Jasper's boxers and shirt. I made my way down the stairs, taking in my new home properly for the first time, and made my way into the kitchen, where I could hear Jasper pattering around.

Sneaking up behind my man, who was in just his army trousers and topless, I wrapped my arms around his waist, amused when I made him jump.

He spun us around so my back faced the counter. My left arm rested around his waist while my right hand travelled up his chest. His bare muscular arms wrapped around me in a welcoming embrace.

"'Darlin', did you sleep well?"' he asked me, his crystal blue eyes searching mine. I gave him a soft smile and looked through my eyelashes, suddenly feeling shy.

"'It was the best I've slept since you came to Florida,."' I whispered, looking down. I felt his grip tighten on me, and he removed an arm from around my waist to take hold of my chin in a firm but gentle grip, tilting my head up so I would have to meet his piercing crystal blue gaze.

"'Never be afraid to show your feelings to me. I haven't been able to sleep properly since I first meeting you, when I had to return to base,."' Jasper confessed.

"'Really?"' I asked, surprised. He nodded and leaned into kiss me.

"'Waking up to the feel of you in my arms was like wakin' up in a dream. I had to pinch myself to make me believe you were really here, and here to stay."'

"'I cried myself to sleep every time we had to part before, not knowing if we'd ever get to where we are now. I worried myself -silly each time you had to go into a war zone. Last night, I overreacted, but I realised I knew I'd have to get used to this"'

I leaned in to kiss him, and his hand moved from my chin to the nape of my neck, as holding me closer.

It felt like we were truly cementing our feelings for each other and opening a new page in a blank book, like as if. today would be the real start to our lives together at the base.

Jasper took me upstairs and made love to me without any interruptions from the base. The coffee's Jasper made lay forgotten downstairs as we spent the rest of our day in bliss.

We both knew today marked a new chapter in our relationship, and we were both ready to take on whatever came are way. No matter what happened, in this moment life was perfection!

Tomorrow was just another day.

**Would love to hear what's going on in your heads.  
>I'm no Edward, so please hit the lovely little button bellow!<strong>

Hope you had a good new years and an even better year :)

Orria xoxoxoxox


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